By Clint Thompson
Southeast specialty crop producers are once again facing a substantial increase in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for 2025.
Georgia and Alabama are experiencing a 9% increase to $16.08, an increase of $1.40 per hour from the previous rate of $14.68 in 2024. Florida’s new AEWR is estimated to be $16.23, a 10% increase from the $14.77 rate in 2024.
While Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, expected an increase, it was still disappointing to see, especially since it’s added to up to more than a 30% increase over the last three years.
“When you look at the last three years and the 31% increase, it just continues to add to that uncertainty that our guys go into the year not knowing what their labor rates are going to be,” Butts said. “It’s just unsustainable. There’s just not enough margin in fruit and vegetable production in the industry in the state of Georgia to cover the increases the last two years, much less an increase for this year.”
Farm Labor Survey
The Farm Labor Survey helps the Department of Labor determine the AEWR, the minimum wage for H-2A workers in every state.
Alabama, along with South Carolina, is experiencing the same increase as Georgia. Blake Thaxton, executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, expressed similar concerns as Butts regarding the future of his growers utilizing the H-2A program.
“It’s technically not official yet, but that report has basically shown what the rate will be for the last several years. We’re not expecting it to be any different,” Thaxton said. “We’re hearing from farmers, hearing they’re very displeased. We’ve heard things like, ‘We can’t take much more.’ ‘It’s unsustainable.’ It’s making the last program that works for them unworkable.
“We’re trying to work with the Alabama delegation to see what kind of reforms can be made to make it more workable in the future.”